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Here's the First-Time U.S. Open Winner

by L. Turner

In a career first, Martin Kaymer of Germany won the U.S. Open on Sunday after playing very well throughout. Kaymer was widely expected to win after leading every single day of the tournament, and he was five shots ahead at the beginning of the final round of the tournament. According to SB Nation, Kaymer's lead going into the final was one of the largest margins in the tournament's history. The U.S. Open title is his third PGA win.

The 29-year-old Kaymer was especially excited to win since his longtime hero in the sport, Bernard Langer, had never managed to clinch the Open. Langer, who's also from Germany, sent Kaymer a congratulatory text message on Sunday, The New York Times reported.

Just hearing something from him, obviously it gives you a lot of confidence and it’s really nice of him. He doesn’t have to do that, but he takes the time to send out a text and it does push me a little bit. I want to achieve similar things that he has achieved in his career.

Kaymer didn't have a great day on the golf course on Saturday, bogeying five times. But he still ended up with a near-record showing going into Sunday.

Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images Sport/Getty Images

Kaymer has a pretty good atittude. He told The Washington Post on Saturday that not every day can be perfect in the sport.

You can’t play every day great golf. Usually, you have one of those poor days at one stage during a tournament. But the important thing is that you keep that poor day still okay. And that is what I did.

Ultimately, Kaymer won the tournament by eight strokes, ESPN reported — an extremely big lead. He beat both Rickie Fowler and Erik Compton, who tied behind Kaymer. Compton, an American who's had two heart transplants and was an emotional favorite for the win, told ESPN everybody else was playing catch-up.

No one was catching Kaymer this week. I was playing for second. I think we all were playing for second.